Drive or Fly: Gaithersburg, MD to Mount Airy, MD?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for IAD–BWI. At 19 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

35m

Distance

19 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 15m

2m in the air

Air Distance

16 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gaithersburg, MD → IAD 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BWI → Mount Airy, MD 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Gaithersburg, MD IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

Mount Airy, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 30 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAD and BWI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	35m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Gaithersburg, MD to Mount Airy, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.